Art

Who is the world’s most successful musician? Taylor Swift is one artist who has a clear claim to that status. Since she released her eponymous debut album in 2006, the Pennsylvania-born singer-songwriter has transitioned from being an uncommonly talented country singer-songwriter inspired by Shania Twain, Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks to a full-on pop icon who’s used her record industry heft to secure better streaming royalties for fellow artists. Along the way, she’s also garnered an enviable amount of critical respect, becoming only the fifth artist to win the prestigious album of the year Grammy Award twice (for 2009’s Fearless and 2014’s 1989).

For many rock fans, a Bob Dylan/Neil Young co-headlining bill is a bucket-list occurrence, a rare opportunity to see two legends for the price of one (very expensive) ticket. That possibility became reality last evening in London’s Hyde Park, where Dylan and Young performed alongside openers Sam Fender, Laura Marling and Cat Power.

Technological revolutions can change the way pop songs are written. In 1949, RCA Records introduced a new 45rpm record made of vinyl instead of the more brittle and fragile shellac that 78rpm records were made of. There was one big caveat – it could only hold about three minutes of music. The pop single as we know it was born, the equivalent of 99-cent download song of its day.